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So, before this, we've talked about Sympathy for the Devil (my favorite) and how it goes into the cyclic nature of war and also its bloodthirsty allure. We, then, moved on to Platoon and the moral issues of war it shows. Now we move on to Apocalypse Now, and how it shows the pure insanity of it, or at least, the specific insanity of the Vietnam War. Honestly though, I'm rather torn on this movie. I'd say for about half the runtime, there's basically nothing really interesting whatsoever going on. With intelligent editing, you could cut probably two thirds of that half out and you wouldn't lose a thing. This movie could definitely have benefited from a much shorter runtime.
BUUUUT... I'm viewing the Redux version, which is basically the longest of the versions, though I didn't know there were multiple official cuts of this film until after I watched the Redux version released in 2001. The two other versions are the original Theatrical version, released in 1979, and the Final Cut version, released in 2019. Final is in the middle for length and was, of course, the last cut to be released. Theatrical is the shortest but, from what I can read, people think it flows the best for sure. The second best after that is the Final Cut and also is definitely the best cut for video quality of this movie. And the last in popularity and the longest is the Redux version. So it looks like my complaint of the runtime dragging too long for this movie was actually not a thing at all until the Redux version came out.
There is one other complaint that I have with this film and that is me trying to puzzle what the hell Colonel Kurtz was even planning to accomplish. His goals are never really clear, even towards the end, but then, maybe that was the whole point. Just more damn insanity. But he does bring up an interesting point.
And lastly, we have what is growing to be a bit of a tradition now, and that is an awesome quote from this movie.
Ok, so can I recommend this movie... ? I actually couldn't tell you. I think I agree with the masses here and think that the Redux version is definitely too long. Maybe the Theatrical version is much better, but I can't give a personal recommendation on something I, technically, haven't watched. So, as a compromise, I'll just give the Redux version three stars and call it a day.
BUUUUT... I'm viewing the Redux version, which is basically the longest of the versions, though I didn't know there were multiple official cuts of this film until after I watched the Redux version released in 2001. The two other versions are the original Theatrical version, released in 1979, and the Final Cut version, released in 2019. Final is in the middle for length and was, of course, the last cut to be released. Theatrical is the shortest but, from what I can read, people think it flows the best for sure. The second best after that is the Final Cut and also is definitely the best cut for video quality of this movie. And the last in popularity and the longest is the Redux version. So it looks like my complaint of the runtime dragging too long for this movie was actually not a thing at all until the Redux version came out.
There is one other complaint that I have with this film and that is me trying to puzzle what the hell Colonel Kurtz was even planning to accomplish. His goals are never really clear, even towards the end, but then, maybe that was the whole point. Just more damn insanity. But he does bring up an interesting point.
Kurtz talks about certain soldiers having the raw inner strength to use horror as a weapon. On the surface, he seems correct, but he also fatally assumes and attributes such terrorist-esque actions to completely sane individuals and not rabid sorry excuses for human beings that need to be put down. There is NO excuse nor good reason to harm innocent people. Depraved actions upon innocent people is not strength, it is glaring weakness. It is exerting your power upon people too powerless to defend themselves. It is an utterly gross defect that must be incinerated in burning napalm.
It is astounding to me how all sorts of people will try to find all manner of excuses to harm innocent people. Perhaps the one rallying cry of these fuckers is "for the greater good," but such reasoning should not and should never be tolerated. People who deliberately harm innocent people are, quite literally, lower than muck, and the only thing they deserve is to be tossed into a nameless mass grave.
It is astounding to me how all sorts of people will try to find all manner of excuses to harm innocent people. Perhaps the one rallying cry of these fuckers is "for the greater good," but such reasoning should not and should never be tolerated. People who deliberately harm innocent people are, quite literally, lower than muck, and the only thing they deserve is to be tossed into a nameless mass grave.
And lastly, we have what is growing to be a bit of a tradition now, and that is an awesome quote from this movie.
Captain Willard said:
Ok, so can I recommend this movie... ? I actually couldn't tell you. I think I agree with the masses here and think that the Redux version is definitely too long. Maybe the Theatrical version is much better, but I can't give a personal recommendation on something I, technically, haven't watched. So, as a compromise, I'll just give the Redux version three stars and call it a day.
